Multiple player board games

ABSTRACT

A game board includes a square central playing area having a relatively large number of playing positions thereon, with each edge of the central playing area having two matrices of three rows and eight columns of playing positions extending therefrom. These playing position extensions provide for the initial placement of conventional chess or checker playing pieces thereon at the beginning of multiple player games, and permit play by up to eight players. The initial playing position extensions are colored differently from one another over the lighter colored squares of the alternating dark and light colored playing positions, with the playing pieces assigned to each starting position being similarly colored. Rules are for the most part similar to conventional chess and checker rules, but allow chess pawns and checkers to make larger moves than in conventional play in order to compensate for the larger central playing area of the board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to board games, and moreparticularly to chess- and checker-like board games and a game board forplay of those games. The present games are similar to the games of chessand checkers, but the game board and rules allow for play by from two toeight persons, as desired.

2. Description of the Related Art

Board games have been popular leisure time activities for centuries. Forexample, the game of chess was originally developed in India, on theorder of 2500 years ago. The game of checkers may go back even further.However, the classic, conventional games of chess and checkers permitplay by only two persons at a time, from opposite sides of the squareboard.

However, the play of a conventional game of chess or checkers oftenseems to draw spectators who oftentimes offer suggestions or advice, inaddition to merely observing the progress of the game. Such kibitzersare universally known as an adjunct of two person games, particularlyboard games in which the observation of the progress of play from bothplayers is clearly observable by all who wish to take note of the game.

Clearly, some modification of the classic, conventional games of chessand checkers to allow play by more than two persons is desirable. Thepresent invention responds to this need by providing chess-like andchecker-like board games, and a game board for the play thereof, whichallow from two to eight persons to play the selected gamesimultaneously, competing against one another. The present games areclosely related to the conventional games of chess and checkers, but aremodified to allow simultaneous play by more than two players across thelarger playing area provided. The present game board includes a squarecentral playing area, but further includes two starting areas along eachof the four sides of the board, permitting up to eight players toparticipate simultaneously.

A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware,and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, isprovided below.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,187 issued on Oct. 18, 1988 to Joseph W. Deak, Jr.,titled “Modified Chess Game Method Of Play,” describes a chess-likeboard game providing for up to four players, with each playercontrolling playing pieces initially arrayed along a starting extensionalong each of the four sides of the board. The central portion of theDeak, Jr. game board comprises a matrix of only eight by eight squares,identical to the board configuration of a classical chess orcheckerboard. This provides room for only one set of playing piecesalong each side of the board, thus permitting a maximum of only fourplayers to play. The present game board, with its central playing areaof eighteen by eighteen positions, provides sufficient room along eachedge for two sets of playing pieces with two spaces or positions betweenthe sets along each side. Thus, up to eight players may playsimultaneously using the present game. Moreover, the present inventionalso provides for the play of a checker-like game; Deak, Jr. does notdisclose any form of a checker-like game.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,669 issued on Jun. 12, 1990 to John T. Perry, titled“Method Of Playing A Multiple Player Chess Game,” describes a chess-likegame for up to four players, with one set of playing pieces arrayedalong each of the four sides of the board for four players. As in thegame and game board of the '187 U.S. patent to Deak, Jr. discussedimmediately above, the Perry game board includes only an eight by eightmatrix of playing positions in the center of the board. This providesroom for only a single set of playing pieces, and thus a single player,along each side or edge of the board for the Perry game. The presentgame and game board, with its considerably greater number of playingpositions in the board center, provides two separate initial playingareas for setting up two separate sets of playing pieces along each sideor edge. Moreover, the present game also provides for the play of acheckers-like game for up to eight players, using the two startingpositions per side provided on the game board of the present invention.Perry makes no disclosure of the play of any other game than a gameclosely resembling chess, in his disclosure.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,762 issued on Dec. 24, 1996 to Jon P. Wearley,titled “Method Of Playing A Quadrilateral Chess Game,” describes twodifferent game boards providing for the play of chess or checkers by upto four persons. The game boards each include single starting extensionsalong each of the four sides, with the chess board having extensionswhich are two rows deep and the checker board having extensions whichare three rows deep in order to accommodate the initial starting arrayfor checkers. Wearley modifies his game board by providing promotionlines thereon, in order that pawns or checkers need not be advancedfurther than in conventional chess or checkers for promotion. Incontrast, the present game board includes a considerably larger centralplaying area of eighteen by eighteen squares, with two initial positionsalong each edge of the board. Rather than modifying the board to permitplay using conventional moves, the present game modifies the movement ofcertain pieces for both chess and checkers, in order to avoid undulylong travel across the larger board.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,334 issued on Nov. 25, 1997 to George W. Duke,titled “Expanded Chess-Like Game,” describes a two person game played ona slightly expanded board having eight rows and ten columns or files.Two additional pieces are provided, which have moves unlike conventionalchess pieces. Duke makes no provision for more than two players, as hisboard cannot accommodate multiple player initial positions along allfour sides, as can the present chess-like game. Also, Duke makes nomention of any checkers-like game in his disclosure.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,754 issued on Dec. 2, 1997 to Ali R. Rostami, titled“Advanced Chess Game And Method Therefor,” describes a chess-like gamehaving a laterally expanded board to ten positions wide, essentiallyidentical to the board of the '334 U.S. patent to Duke, discussedimmediately above. Rostami provides two additional four additionalpieces of two types per player, to fill out the two rows of tenpositions each comprising the starting positions of his game. However,due to the relatively shallow depth of the board, i.e. having only eightrows, no provision is made by Rostami for the addition of any furtherplayers playing from positions along the sides of the board. The Rostamigame thus more closely resembles the game of the Duke '334 U.S. patent,than it does the present game or games.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,602 issued on Sep. 12, 2000 to Mackie C. McLoy,titled “Enhanced Four Handed Variation Of Chess,” describes a chess-likegame employing additional pieces having different moves thanconventional chess pieces, in addition to the conventional chess pieces.The McLoy game board includes four initial positions, with one alongeach edge of the square board. Pawns may initially move up to threepositions, in order to advance play across the larger than standardboard. However, the McLoy game board only provides for a single set ofplaying pieces, and single player, along each side of the board. Incontrast, the present multiple player game allows two players along eachside of the board, for up to eight players. Moreover, McLoy makes nodisclosure of a checkers-like game.

U.S. patent Publication Ser. No. 2002/167,129 published on Nov. 14,2002, titled “Modular Board Game Apparatus,” describes a number ofembodiments of game boards having alternating patterns of positions intheir rows and columns. The Stanton game boards are not truecheckerboards, in that they do not have a square configuration. Rather,they are distorted to alter their shapes, and the shapes of theindividual positions, to other than square. Some of the boards arealtered by distorting the positions to provide their separation alongradial or diagonal lines, thereby providing separate sides for theplacement of playing pieces by more than two players. Stanton alsoprovides certain specialized rules for chess to go with his multipleplayer game boards, but is silent regarding any specialized rules forcheckers, which would appear to be necessary considering the non-squareconfiguration of his boards. In any event, the '129 publication does notprovide any game board configurations permitting multiple players andplaying positions along each side or edge of the board, as is done withthe present multiple player games.

U.S. Des. Pat. No. 340,953 issued on Nov. 2, 1993 to Ronald A. Langlotz,titled “Game Board,” illustrates a design for a folding square boardhaving an eight by eight matrix of positions in the center, with afolding wing of two rows extending from each side. Each folding wing canaccommodate only one set of chess pieces, for a maximum of only fourplayers. No playing pieces or rules of play are disclosed in theLanglotz game board design.

British Patent Publication No. 1,030,519 published on May 25, 1966,titled “Board Games,” describes another four player chess-like game inwhich the board has an extension along each of its four sides for theinitial placement of the playing pieces. The '519 game requires apartnership of two players against two other players, unlike the presentgame. The '519 publication provides different rules for the movement ofthe pawns, in which they cannot be moved toward the side of the boardalong which one's partner's playing pieces are initially placed. Whilethe present game also adjusts the pawn moves in order to accelerateprogress across its larger board, the present game also provides fortwice the number of players as the '519 game.

Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,203,660 published on Oct. 26,1988, titled “Board Game,” describes a game having an eight-by-eightcentral matrix of positions, with a four-by-eight matrix extending fromeach side. The '660 game is played in two stages, with the first stageinvolving the placement of various segments on the board to representdifferent terrain features, and the second stage involving the movementof playing pieces over the terrain segments. The '660 publicationprovides for up to four players, but the playing pieces are intended tosimulate military movement, rather than being closely related to themovement of chess pieces.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thusmultiple player chess- and checker-like board games solving theaforementioned problems are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present multiple player board games are played using a considerablylarger board than the conventional eight-by-eight matrix of sixty-foursquare positions used in conventional chess and checker game boards. Thegame board of the present invention comprises a square central playingarea of eighteen-by-eighteen positions, with each side of the squarehaving two initial playing areas of three-by-eight positions. Thisprovides a total of eight initial playing areas about the four sides ofthe board, allowing up to eight players to play simultaneously.

The game board of the present invention may be used to play a game basedclosely on the rules of conventional chess. Each player controls aconventional set of chess pieces, initially placed upon his or herstarting area. Playing pieces move conventionally, with the exception ofthe pawns which are provided with additional moves to accelerate playacross the larger than conventional board. Lateral moves are permittedfor pawns as well, enabling them to reach opponents' areas along thesides of the boards for promotion once crossing the center of the board.

The present game board may also be used to play a checker-like game, aswell. The checkers are permitted to make extended moves, much like thepawns in the chess-like game, in order to advance more quickly acrossthe larger board. Play is otherwise much like conventional checkers,with the last player having a checker or checkers on the board winningthe game.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the game board for the multiple playerchess- and checker-like board games of the present invention, showingits general configuration and different color patterns of the initialplaying extension areas.

FIG. 2 is a broken away portion of the game board of FIG. 1, showing theplacement of chess pieces in the initial playing extension areas thereofat the beginning of a chess game.

FIG. 3 is a broken away portion of the game board of FIG. 1, showing theplacement of checkers in the initial playing extension areas thereof atthe beginning of a checkers game.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the folding pattern for the presentmultiple player game board for chess- and checker-like board games.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing the basic steps in the method of playof a multiple player chess-like game, using the game board of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart describing the basic steps in the method of playof a multiple player checker-like game, using the game board of thepresent invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises different embodiments of multiple playerchess- and checker-like board games playable on a game board common toboth games. FIG. 1 provides a top plan view of the game board 10 of thepresent invention. The game board 10 comprises a square central playingarea 12 having four sides 14 through 20 and four corners 22 through 28containing a matrix of eighteen horizontal ranks or rows, designated asr1 through r18, by eighteen vertical files or columns, designated as f1through f18, for a total of three hundred and twenty four playingpositions. Each individual playing position may be designated by somecombination of the above rank and file designators, e.g. r7,f9 asindicated in FIG. 1 for the playing position of the seventh row or rankand of the ninth column or file.

Each of the sides 14 through 20 of the board 10 has a pair of initialplaying extensions extending outwardly therefrom, designated asextensions 30 through 44, clockwise around the board 10 of FIG. 1 fromthe lower left extension 30. Each of the extensions 30 through 44comprises twenty four playing positions formed of a series of threeranks or rows aligned with the respective side or edge of the board, andeight files extending normal to the respective edge of the board. Thethree ranks of each extension 30 through 44 provides sufficient depthfor the placement of three staggered rows of checkers or two rows ofchess pieces upon each extension, as is conventional at the respectivebeginning of a checker or chess game.

Each of the extensions 30 through 44 has an outer lateral edgeimmediately adjacent to its respective central playing area corner 22through 28. As each extension 30 through 44 spans only eight playingpositions and each edge or side 14 through 20 of the board 10 spanseighteen playing positions, the placement of the extensions 30 through44 results in a gap or space 46 between each of the extensions along anygiven edge, e.g. extensions 34 and 36 along the side or edge 16. Each ofthe extension gaps 46 has a width equivalent to two playing positions onthe central area 12 of the board 10, as the total width of the twoextensions along any given edge of the board is two playing positionsless than the total span of the board along each edge thereof.

The playing positions of both the central area 12 and of the eightextensions 30 through 44 are formed of alternating lightly and darklycolored positions in a checkerboard pattern or array, as is clear fromFIG. 1. The central area 12 may comprise alternating black and whitesquares, or other contrasting colors as desired. The darker squares orpositions of the extensions 30 through 44 are preferably of the samecolor and/or shading as the darker squares of the central playing area12. However, the lighter colored squares of the extensions 30 through 44are colored, shaded, or otherwise marked to differentiate the extensionsfrom one another. For example, all of the lighter positions 48 of thefirst extension 30 may be colored light green, with the lighterpositions of the other extensions 32 through 44 respectively coloredlavender, purple, red, light blue, dark green, orange, and yellow.

The above colors are merely exemplary, and are not mandatory oressential to the operation of the present invention. The key point hereis that the lighter shaded playing positions of the eight extensions beuniformly marked or colored throughout each extension, but that thecolors or markings be different between different extensions, asindicated by the symbolic markings on the lighter positions of theextensions 30 through 44 on the game board 10 in FIG. 1. Other colors,textures, symbols, etc. may be used to differentiate the lighter playingpositions of each extension from one another, as desired.

FIG. 2 provides a broken away detail of the lower right corner 28 areaof the board 10, showing the placement of conventional chess sets on theextensions 40 and 42 immediately adjacent the corner 28. Chess isconventionally played using sixteen pieces per player, comprising a kingK, queen Q, two bishops B, two knights Kt, two rooks R, and eight pawnsP arranged in the two outermost opposing rows of a game board. Thepresent chess-like game places a conventional set of chess pieces alongthe two outermost rows of each extension 30 through 44, or upon as manyextensions as there are players, up to eight players corresponding tothe eight extensions 30 through 44. Each set of chess pieces isidentically colored or marked in each set, to match the color or markingof the lighter colored positions of the extension to which itcorresponds. Thus, the extension 40 having its lighter positions coloredgreen is assigned the green chess set, the next extension 42 havingorange colored lighter positions has the orange chess set placedthereon, etc.

FIG. 3 of the drawings provides a broken away detail view of the lowerright corner 28 area of the board 10, showing the placement of twoconventional sets of checkers on the extensions 40 and 42 immediatelyadjacent the corner 28. The checkers C illustrated in FIG. 3 comprisetwo separate sets, differentiated by their colors. As in the case of thechess sets shown in FIG. 2, a series of eight different sets of checkersis provided, with each set corresponding to one of the eight extensions30 through 44 of the board 10. Each set is colored to match the color ofthe lighter colored squares or playing positions of its respectiveextension, e.g. a light green checker set for initial placement on theboard extension having light green alternating positions thereon, a redchecker set for placement on the board extension having alternating redpositions, etc. The checkers C are initially arranged by placing themonly on the darker squares or positions of the board extensions, e.g.extensions 40 and 42 as shown in FIG. 3. This results in the dozencheckers of each set being placed in three rows of four checkers each,as is conventional at the beginning of a checker game on the first threerows of the opposite sides of a conventional checkerboard.

The present game board 10 is relatively large in its deployed state, dueto the numerous initial position extensions 30 through 44 along theedges of the board 10, and the resulting necessity for a relativelylarge central playing area 12. Accordingly, the present board 10 may bemade to fold along numerous folding lines to provide for compactstorage. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary folding pattern for the gameboard 10.

The board 10 shown in FIG. 4 is divided into a dozen panels 64 through86. The first through fourth panels 64 through 70 are securededge-to-edge to one another, generally along the second edge 16 of theboard 10. These panels 64 through 70 fold against one another in anaccordion fold configuration, with the board surfaces of the first twopanels 64 and 66 and the third and fourth panels 68 and 70 folding toface one another, and with the second and third panels 66 and 68 foldingwith their back surfaces facing one another. The central row of fourpanels 72 through 78 and the third row of panels 80 through 86 each foldin a similar manner. When each of these three rows of panels has beenfolded as described above, the three groups of folded panels are folded,with the back surfaces of the fourth and fifth panels 70 and 72 and theback surfaces of the eighth and ninth panels 78 and 80 folding againstone another. The result is an extensive game board 10 which folds morecompactly than the conventional eight by eight game board with itssingle central fold line.

FIG. 5 of the drawings provides a flow chart describing the basic stepsin the method of play of a chess-like game using the present game board.The initial step 100 comprises the formation of the game board 10 with,its central playing area 12 and eight initial playing positionextensions 30 through 44, as shown in FIG. 1 and described furtherabove. Up to eight different sets of chess pieces, colored or otherwisemarked to correspond to the colors or markings of their respectiveinitial playing position extensions 30 through 44, are also provided, asindicated in the second step 102 of the chart of FIG. 5.

The third step 104 describes the selection of from two to eight playersto play the present chess-like game. As few as two players may play thepresent game, but if only two players are playing, then they must selectinitial starting positions on generally opposite sides of the board. Forexample, if a first player selects the first starting area 30, then theother player may choose from any of the fourth through seventh initialplaying position extensions 36 through 42. This is due to a rulerestriction in the present chess-like game, requiring pawns to advanceacross the center of the board from their initial starting positions,before they may be promoted by reaching the final row of the opponent'sstarting area.

Third and subsequent players, up to eight players total, may select anyother initial playing area extensions as desired. Selection may be inaccordance with the relative positions of the extensions, by colorpreference of the chess sets and their corresponding extensions, or bychance, as arranged by the players. The differently colored chess setsare placed upon the first two rows of their respective initial playingposition extensions having like colors (or other markings), as describedfurther above. Selection of the order of play is handled in a similarmanner to that used for determining the initial playing positions andcolors of the chess sets assigned to the players, with one color beingdesignated to make the first move and subsequent players proceeding insequence around the periphery of the board. Other playing orderarrangements may be made as desired.

The game is begun with the first designated player making the first movegenerally in accordance with the rules of chess, as indicated by thefourth step 106 of FIG. 5. The present game modifies the rules somewhatto permit more rapid transit across the relatively large board center,and to permit interaction between pawns of players assigned to initialplaying extensions along mutually normal board edges, e.g. the first andfourth initial playing extensions 30 and 36. The king, queen, bishops,knights, and rooks all move in accordance with the standard rules ofchess. However, pawns are permitted to move from one to three positionsforward on their first move of the game, and either one or two movesforward on subsequent moves. These moves are one position greater thanpermitted in conventional chess, and serve to advance the pawns morerapidly across the greater expanse of the central playing area of thepresent game board. As in conventional chess, any position between thebeginning and the end positions of the playing piece, must beunoccupied. Pawn captures are made by single diagonal moves, as inconventional chess.

Pawns may also move laterally in the present game after their initialmove, in order to interact with opponents' playing pieces starting frompositions or extensions normal to their own starting extension(s).Single position lateral moves allow pawns to advance toward anopponent's initial playing extension which is normal to the board edgefrom which the pawns started. This allows all players to compete againstall other players on the board, regardless of their respective startingpositions.

Pawn promotion is accomplished generally in accordance with theconventional rules of chess and according to the fifth step 108 of FIG.5, i.e., by advancing the pawn completely across an opponent's initialstarting area to the most distant row. This permits the pawn to bepromoted, or exchanged for a more powerful piece. However, rather thanbeing restricted only to advances toward the initial position extensiondirectly across from the initial extension of the advancing pawn, thepresent game allows pawns to be promoted upon reaching laterallydisposed initial extensions as well. This is accomplished by means ofthe single lateral pawn moves permitted by the rules of the presentgame. The only restriction is that pawns must advance across the centerof the board from their starting positions. This limits pawn promotionto only those four initial playing extensions across the board center,from any given initial playing extension. This is why when only twoplayers are playing, they must position themselves across the center ofthe board from one another.

The game continues in accordance with the standard rules of chess,excepting the different rules noted above. Each player attempts tocapture the playing pieces of his or her opponents and to “capture”their kings, i.e. place the opposing kings in check. Once this isaccomplished, the pieces corresponding to the king which is in check,cannot be moved; that player is effectively out of the game. Playcontinues in the above manner until only two players continue to play,with the winner being the last player remaining free of check, asindicated by the final step 110 of FIG. 5.

The present game board 10 also permits the play of a checkers-like gamethereon. The general rules or steps in the method of play of such a gameare indicated as first through sixth steps 150 through 160, as showngenerally in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The first step 150 generallydescribes the formation of the game board 10, with its configurationbeing shown in FIG. 1 and described in detail further above. Eightseparate sets of checkers are provided, with each set being colored orotherwise marked to correspond with the different colors or markings ofeach of the initial playing position extensions 30 through 44 of thegame board 10. This is described generally in the second step 152 of thechart of FIG. 6.

At this point, the players may be selected to play the game, generallyas indicated by the third step 154 of FIG. 6. As few as two players mayparticipate, with the eight initial extensions permitting play by up toeight players, as in the case of the chess-like game described in detailfurther above. As in the case of the chess-like game, when only twoplayers participate, they must initially position their checkers uponextensions which are generally across the center of the board from oneanother, in order to permit the checkers to be advanced sufficiently farfor promotion. Checkers are permitted to move up to two positions permove in order to advance more rapidly across the relatively large boardcenter of the present game board, generally as indicated by the fourthstep 156 of FIG. 6. This permits play to proceed more rapidly, to avoiddelaying the progress of the game unduly.

According to the rules of the present checker-like game, checkers mustadvance at least across the center of the board from their startingpositions, before promotion is possible. Promotion may be accomplishedby moving a checker into the outer row of any of the four initialplaying extensions across the center of the board from the startingextension of the advancing checker, similar to the pawn promotionprocedure described above for the chess-like game. Thus, a checkerassigned to the sixth starting position extension 40, must advance toany one of the first through third extensions 30 through 34, or to theeighth extension 44, for promotion. This is indicated by the fifth step158 of FIG. 5. Promotion, i.e. “crowning” the checker, permits thatchecker to move forwardly or rearwardly in any diagonal direction on theboard, just as the equivalent rule permits in conventional two playercheckers on an eight by eight board.

Play continues with all players attempting to capture and remove fromthe board the checkers of their opponents. Capture is accomplished inthe conventional manner for playing checkers, by “jumping” opposingcheckers. The same restrictions in conventional checkers requiring theposition upon which a checker completes its move to be unoccupied, applyto the present game as well. As play continues, fewer and fewer checkerswill remain on the board, with players losing all of their checkersbeing eliminated. Eventually, only two players will remain, with thelast player still having a checker or checkers on the board winning thegame, as indicated generally by the final step 160 of the chart of FIG.6.

In conclusion, the present multiple player chess- and checker-like boardgames permits many more persons to become actively involved in suchgames, without need to learn a large number of different rules. Therules of play for the present game are very much like those forconventional chess and checkers, with the primary exception of themultiple position moves permitted for pawns and checkers and the singleposition lateral moves permitted by the pawns for advance towardlaterally disposed opponents' initial playing extensions. While as fewas two persons may play either of the present games, the provision oftwo initial extensions along each of the four sides of the board permitsup to eight players to participate simultaneously, if so desired. Theability of the present games to support odd numbers of players, meansthat there is no longer any need for a third, fifth, or seventh personto be left out. Accordingly, the present multiple player chess- andchecker-like board games will prove to be a most welcome addition to theactivities of large families, clubs, retirement homes, and otherenvironments where relatively large numbers of people spend theirleisure time.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A multiple player board game apparatus, comprising: a game board,having: a central playing area of three hundred twenty-four playingpositions of eighteen ranks and eighteen files in a substantially squarearray having four sides and four corners; said playing positionscomprising alternating light colored positions and dark coloredpositions in a checkerboard pattern; two initial playing extensions,each of the extensions having twenty-four playing positions of threeranks and eight files disposed upon each of the sides of said centralplaying area, each of the extensions being immediately adjacent acorresponding one of the corners of said central playing area and spacedapart from one another along each of the sides; each of the initialplaying extensions further including uniform coloring of the lightcolored positions therein, the light colored positions being coloreddifferently from one another in each of the different initial playingextensions; eight sets of playing pieces, each of the sets of playingpieces corresponding to one of the initial playing extensions,respectively; wherein each of said sets of playing pieces is coloredsubstantially identically to said light colored positions of saidcorresponding one of said initial playing extensions.
 2. The multipleplayer board game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sets ofplaying pieces comprise eight sets of chess pieces, with each of saidsets being colored differently from one another.
 3. The multiple playerboard game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sets of playingpieces comprise eight sets of checkers, with each of said sets beingcolored differently from one another.
 4. A method of playing a multipleplayer board game, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a game boardhaving a central playing area of three hundred twenty-four playingpositions of eighteen ranks and eighteen files in a substantially squarearray having four sides and four corners; (b) further providing twoinitial playing extensions each comprising twenty-four playing positionsof three ranks and eight files disposed upon each of the sides of thecentral playing area, each immediately adjacent a corresponding one ofthe corners of the central playing area and spaced apart from oneanother along each of the sides; (c) further providing eight sets ofchess pieces, with each of the sets corresponding to one of the initialplaying extensions; (d) selecting from two to eight players; (e)assigning one of the sets of chess pieces to each of the players; (f)determining the order of play by the players; (g) placing the chesspieces in their starting array upon their corresponding initial playingextensions; (h) selectively moving the pawns of the sets of chess piecesup to three positions forward on an initial move; (i) selectively movingthe pawns of the sets of chess pieces up to two positions forward on asubsequent move; (j) selectively moving the pawns of the sets of chesspieces one position laterally on moves subsequent to the initial move;(k) sequentially and selectively moving the chess pieces in accordancewith the previously established order of play; and (l) winning the gameby having the last king remaining free of check.
 5. The method ofplaying a multiple player board game according to claim 4, furthercomprising the steps of: (a) coloring the playing positions inalternating light and dark colors, in a checkerboard pattern; (b)uniformly coloring the light colored positions of each one of theinitial playing extensions; and (c) differently coloring the lightcolored positions of the different initial playing extensions.
 6. Themethod of playing a multiple player board game according to claim 5,further comprising the step of coloring the chess pieces of each of thesets substantially identically to the light colored positions of acorresponding one of the initial playing extensions.
 7. The method ofplaying a multiple player board game according to claim 4, furthercomprising the steps of: (a) selectively advancing at least one pawnacross the center of the game board; (b) continuing to selectivelyadvance the at least one pawn across one of the initial playingextensions across the center of the game board from the startingposition of the at least one pawn; and (c) promoting the at least onepawn to a chess piece of higher rank.
 8. A method of playing a multipleplayer board game, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a game boardhaving a central playing area of three hundred twenty-four playingpositions of eighteen ranks and eighteen files in a substantially squarearray having four sides and four corners; (b) further providing twoinitial playing extensions each comprising twenty-four playing positionsof three ranks and eight files disposed upon each of the sides of thecentral playing area, each immediately adjacent a corresponding one ofthe corners of the central playing area and spaced apart from oneanother along each of the sides; (c) further providing eight checkerplaying sets, with each of the sets corresponding to one of the initialplaying extensions; (d) selecting from two to eight players; (e)assigning one of the checker sets to each of the players; (f)determining the order of play by the players; (g) placing the checkersets in their starting array upon their corresponding initial playingextensions; (h) sequentially and selectively moving the checkers of thesets in accordance with the previously established order of play; (i)selectively moving the checkers of the sets up to two positions forwardon a move; and (j) winning the game by having the last remainingcheckers on the game board.
 9. The method of playing a multiple playerboard game according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: (a)coloring the playing positions in alternating light and dark colors in acheckerboard pattern; (b) uniformly coloring the light colored positionsof each one of the initial playing extensions; and (c) differentlycoloring the light colored positions of the different initial playingextensions.
 10. The method of playing a multiple player board gameaccording to claim 9, further comprising the step of coloring thecheckers of each of the sets substantially identically to the lightcolored positions of a corresponding one of the initial playingextensions.
 11. The method of playing a multiple player board gameaccording to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: (a) selectivelyadvancing at least one checker across the center of the game board; (b)continuing to selectively advance the at least one checker across one ofthe initial playing extensions across the center of the game board fromthe starting position of the at least one checker; and (c) promoting theat least one checker to permit reversal of movement.